A perpendicular magnetic recording writer is disclosed with a side shield separated from a write pole side by a gap layer at an air bearing surface (ABS) where the side shield has a first sidewall facing the write pole with an end at height (h1) from the ABS, and a second sidewall at height h1 that is parallel to the ABS. The write pole side is curved such that a first portion proximate to the ABS is at an angle of 0 to 40 degrees with respect to a center plane formed orthogonal to the ABS, and a second section proximate to a corner where the curved side connects with a flared main pole side is formed substantially parallel to the second sidewall. When h1 is 30-80 nm, and the corner is 80-150 nm from the ABS, overwrite is improved while cross-track field gradient is enhanced.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer, comprising: (a) a main pole with a leading edge at an air bearing surface (ABS) and formed at a first plane, and a trailing edge at the ABS and formed along a second plane where the first and second planes are parallel to each other and are orthogonal to the ABS, and to a center plane formed equidistant between two main pole sides that connect the leading edge to the trailing edge; (b) a gap layer surrounding the main pole at the ABS and comprising a write gap that contacts the trailing edge and has a first cross-track width, and a side gap layer adjoining the main pole sides and leading edge; (c) a composite side shield at the ABS and on each side of the center plane, comprising; (1) a 19-24 kG magnetic (first hot seed) layer with an inner sidewall adjoining the side gap layer and facing a write pole portion of the main pole, a second sidewall formed parallel to the ABS at a first height therefrom, and an outer side facing away from the write pole portion and adjoining a 10-16 kG magnetic layer; and (2) the 10-16 kG magnetic layer that has a third sidewall connected to an end of the second sidewall, the third sidewall has a far end at a side of the composite side shield; and (d) a composite trailing shield at the ABS and comprising: (1) a second 19-24 kG hot seed layer formed on a top surface of the write gap, and a 16-19 kG magnetic layer that adjoins a top surface and sidewalls of the second hot seed layer, and contacts a top surface of each 10-16 kG magnetic layer at the second plane, and wherein the write pole portion of the main pole has a curved side on each side of the center plane, each curved side extends from the ABS to a corner where the curved write pole side adjoins a flared side of a main pole back portion, a first portion of each curved side proximate to the ABS is formed at the first angle γ with respect to the center plane, and a second portion of each curved side proximate to the corner has a second angle θ of about 90±5 degrees with respect to the center plane where θ>γ.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS). The pole has a write gap and side gap layers. Composite side shields are on each side of the pole. Each side shield includes a high-magnetization (19-24 kG) seed layer next to the side gap, and a lower-magnetization (10-16 kG) layer next to that. A composite trailing shield also exists, including another high-magnetization seed layer (19-24 kG) and a medium-magnetization layer (16-19 kG). The write pole sides are curved. Near the ABS, the curve is at an angle of 0-40 degrees relative to the center plane. Further from the ABS, near where the curved side meets the flared pole back, the angle is approximately 90 degrees to the center plane, creating a sharper corner.
2. The PMR writer of claim 1 further comprised of a leading shield with a top surface contacting a portion of the side gap layer below the main pole leading edge, the leading shield, side shields, and 16-19 kG magnetic layer in the composite trailing shield form an all wrap around (AWA) shield structure.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer, as described in the previous claim, has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields (including high and low magnetization layers), and a composite trailing shield (including high and medium magnetization layers). The write pole sides are curved. Near the ABS, the curve is at an angle of 0-40 degrees. Further from the ABS, the angle is approximately 90 degrees. This design includes a leading shield contacting the side gap layer below the main pole's leading edge. The leading shield, side shields, and the 16-19 kG magnetic layer in the trailing shield form an "all wrap around" (AWA) shield structure, improving field containment.
3. The PMR writer of claim 2 wherein the leading shield is further comprised of a third 19-24 kG hot seed layer with a top surface that contacts a bottom surface of each first hot seed layer.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer, expanding on the previous two descriptions, features a main pole, side shields (high and low magnetization layers), a trailing shield (high and medium magnetization layers), a leading shield, curved pole sides, and an "all wrap around" (AWA) shield. The leading shield further includes a high-magnetization (19-24 kG) hot seed layer. This seed layer contacts the bottom surface of each high-magnetization hot seed layer in the side shields. This improves the magnetic properties of the shields.
4. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein each of the first hot seed layers has a cross-track width of about 10 to 100 nm.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The high-magnetization seed layers (19-24 kG) that are part of the side shields, and which adjoin the side gap layer and face the write pole, each have a cross-track width of about 10 to 100 nm. This dimension influences the magnetic field profile.
5. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein the first angle y is from 0 to 40 degrees.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The angle (γ) of the curved write pole side near the ABS, relative to the center plane, is between 0 and 40 degrees. This angle affects the field strength and write performance.
6. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein the first height is from 30 to 80 nm.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The side shields include a second sidewall formed parallel to the ABS at a first height (h1) therefrom. This first height (h1) is from 30 to 80 nm. This height influences the magnetic field gradient.
7. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein the second sidewall has a cross-track width of 20 to 300 nm.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The side shields have a sidewall parallel to the ABS. This sidewall has a cross-track width of 20 to 300 nm. This dimension influences the effective shield area.
8. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein the corner where each curved side adjoins the main pole back portion is 80 to 150 nm from the ABS.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The corner where each curved side adjoins the main pole back portion is 80 to 150 nm from the ABS. This distance optimizes the transition between the curved and flared sections of the write pole.
9. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein the side gap layer has a cross-track width from 20 to 60 nm.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The side gap layer has a cross-track width from 20 to 60 nm. This dimension controls the magnetic isolation between the write pole and the side shields.
10. The PMR writer of claim 1 wherein the far end of the third sidewall is a greater distance from the ABS than the first height, and the third sidewall forms an angle of about 20 to 60 degrees with respect to a plane which includes the second sidewall.
This perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) writer has a main pole with leading and trailing edges at the air bearing surface (ABS), a write gap and side gap layers, composite side shields, and a composite trailing shield. The write pole sides are curved. The side shields have a third sidewall. The far end of this third sidewall is a greater distance from the ABS than the height of the parallel sidewall. Furthermore, the third sidewall forms an angle of about 20 to 60 degrees with respect to a plane which includes the second sidewall. This angled sidewall affects the magnetic flux path.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 28, 2016
August 1, 2017
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